[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Years ago, we spent more than $5,000 for the removal of a twisted spleen from our eight year-old standard poodle. Our three young sons had sided with Buddy, their BFF, so euthanasia was off the table. This episode was a reminder that our...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Some years ago, our son jammed his finger during soccer practice but stoically didn’t complain until after dinner when it began to hurt from swelling. We called the pediatrician who advised that we head for a walk-in clinic or emergency room to check...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] One of the hottest selling Christmas presents in 2015 was the two-wheeled hoverboard. More accurately, they are a rechargeable self-balancing personal vehicle that can travel up to 12 hours and reach speeds of 12 mph. Besides being a form of leading edge fun...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), retail prices for gasoline in New England continue to decline. Compared with a high of $3.72 per gallon of regular gas in 2012, consumers now are paying $2.06 – a savings of $1.66 per gallon....
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Let me introduce you to little Zach who has asked his parents for a camera-equipped drone for Christmas. Radio controlled vehicles have been a family staple of the holidays ever since the first wireless remote controlled toys were first manufactured. By the way,...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] There’s an old adage, “It’s not what you know but who you know that counts.” There’s a lot of truth in that statement. Those who reach out, get engaged and connect with others tend to create opportunities for themselves. We’re all in the...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Last week we asked “What’s your idea to stop texting-while-driving?” Responses (thank you!) fell into two general categories: consequences and technology. Here are a couple of the comments. “Saw a sign in FLORIDA last month. ‘Honk if you love Jesus. Text while driving...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] I come from parents who were conservative Yankees. They lived through the Depression and World War II being cautious with their money – including how they died. Our dad’s ashes were buried in a Chock Full o’ Nuts coffee can and my mother’s...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] November is Long Term Care Awareness Month, so I suppose I should regurgitate a bunch of statistics about how many people will need long term care services, how much nursing homes cost, blah, blah, blah. But that’s not what this is about. You already...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] In the last couple of weeks, some aspect of your current lifestyle has gone through yet another round of new findings to spare you from disease. Don’t eat sugar. Processed meat causes cancer. Red meat could possibly cause cancer. Seriously?!? Well, yes. What...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] John Traynor, Chief Investment Officer at People’s United Bank Wealth Management, seems optimistic for the growth of the New England economy. In his outlook for 2016, he recently told members of Corporate Partners at the University of Southern Maine that key economic indicators...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Despite tepid growth in the region’s economy, many employers are finding it a challenge to recruit willing and qualified employees. Many applicants lack skills while others may be challenged by personal circumstances such as day care or transportation that make it hard to...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Many of the most frequent and costly insurance claims for businesses are winter-related accidents. With more frequent cold weather, property owners need to take steps now to avoid injuries as well as property and liability claims. Here are a number hazards to avoid...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] The deluge that visited parts of New England this past week left a lot of water-damaged buildings and cars in its wake. The first call many owners made was to their insurance agent to report a claim. Sadly, some of those conversations ended...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Here’s a big change that will require some work. If implemented as proposed, most employees earning between $23,600 ($455/week) and $50,440 ($970/week) will be eligible for overtime wages under new soon-to-be enacted regulations. This change in the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) will...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Do you love traveling for your vacation? When going to a new place, you pull out maps, read the travel guides and you ask well-travelled friends for tips. For vacations, we tend to plan and save. Well, maybe it’s time to think of...
There are four key components of a long-term care plan - do you know what they are? Our Long-Term Care Specialist, Kerry Peabody, illuminates us on what elements go into a long-term care plan....
Are you in retirement planning mode? Did you know that long-term care plans can be purchased as early as age 18, but most people wait until their 50s or 60s. So, when's the best time for you? Long-Term Care Specialist, Kerry Peabody, tells us more....
Ever wondered what really influences the cost of a long-term care insurance plan? Don't miss this opportunity to learn from a specialist, because the sooner you look into it, the better off you are. Any questions? Reach out to Long-Term Care Specialist, Kerry Peabody!...
When asked, "Who do you expect to take care of you as you get older?" Most people will say, "My family." This can pose challenging if they're referring to their adult children since they probably also have their own kids to take care of. The last thing you want to...